Violin-mute



H. H. VANDERHOOF.

VIOLIN MUTE.

- APPLlCATlON FILED JUNE 28,1916.

1 344, 968, Patented J 11116-29, 1920.

WITNESSES: IN VEN TOR.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT H. VANDERHOOF, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

VIOLIN-MUTE.

Application filed June 28,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it. known that I, HERBERT I-I. VANDER- HOOF, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have made a new and useful inventionto wit, Violin- Mute; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, exact, and concise description of the same.

This invention relates particularly to a violin mute and has for one of its objects the provision of a mute having means whereby the spring clamping members may be spread apart when it is desired to place and remove the mute from the bridge of a violin.

In the old style of mutes, no provision is made for spreading the clamping fingers when it is desired to release the mute from the bridge and, therefore, a snapping noise is occasioned when the mute is forcibly disengaged from the bridge.

Another object of the invention is to provide a carrier for attaching the mute to the tail piece of a violin so that it may readily be found when desired for use.

g In this specification and the annexed I drawings, I illustrate the invention in the form that I consider the best, but it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to such form because the said invention may be embodied in other forms, and it is also to be understood that in and by the claim following the description, I desire to cover the invention in whatever form it may be embodied- In the one sheet of drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a violin showing my improved mute and carrier attached thereto.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the mute.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the mute, and

Fig. i is a perspective view of the carrier showing in dotted lines the mute attached thereon.

Referring in detail to the drawings by numerals, 1 designates as an entirety a mute which is preferably formed from a rectangular slab of ebony. The lower portion or clamping end of the mute is formed with the opposed clamping fingers 2 and 8 which are adapted to clamp the mute to the bridge 4 of a violin 5 as shown.

The fingers 2 of one set are separated from Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 29, 1920.

1916. Serial no. 108,361.

the fingers 3 of the other set by the recess 6 which extends upwardly beyond the inner ends of the fingers 2. The upper or body portion of the mute is divided into two opposed lips or jaws 7 and 8 by the V shaped recess 9 which extends downwardly beyond the recess 6, forming the web 10 which connects the two sets of clamping fingers. The lips 7 and 8 are in reality extensions of the fingers 2 and 3 respectively, and when these lips or extensions are pinched together, the two sets of clamping fingers are spread apart owing to the give or resiliency in the WEI) 10.

When it is desired to remove the mute, the lips 7 and 8 are pinched together which spread the fingers 2 and 3 allowing the mute to be disengaged from the bridge without audible sound.

In order that the mute may be mounted in a convenient position so as to be handy when needed, I have provided a carrier or holder 11, consisting of a rectangular base or body 12, having an upstanding web or flange 13 and provided on its under side with a stem or peg 14 which fits into one of the openings 15 in the violin tail piece 16. To prevent rotation of the carrieiga lip 17 is formed on one end thereof adjacent its lower face which will engage the edge of the tail piece and hold the carrier in its proper transverse position. lVhen a selection is to be played in which it will be necessary to make use of the mute, the latter is placed upon the carrier, so when needed it will be readily accessible to be quickly positioned on the bridge. 7

Having thus described this invention, I

claim A mute comprising two opposed sets of clamping fingers; an integral resilient web connecting the two sets of fingers and holding the same in spaced relation; the fingers of each set being extended beyond the web and integrally connected to each other.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at San Francisco, California, this 5th day of June, 1916.

HERBERT H. VANDERI-IOOF.

In presence of- BALDWIN VALE, A. J. HENRY. 

